Fluttering aerial toy

ABSTRACT

An aerial toy configured to simulate a bird or flying insect and having relatively loose wings capable of fluttering, within limits, during flight. Propulsion is produced by a single-bladed propellor extending from only one side of its axis of rotation to cause the toy to fly along a sinuous path and induce fluttering of said wings.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,858,350 Lux Jan. 7, 1975 FLUTTERHNG AERIAL TOY 2,814,907 12/1957 Sears 46/78 [76] Inventor: William Lux, 8510 Wilksboro Ln.,

Potomac 20854 Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock Assistant Examiner-J. Q. Lever Flledi 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBacon & Thomas [21] Appl. N0.: 409,378 [57] ABSTRACT [52] [1.8. CI. 46/78 A erial toy configured to simulate a bird or flying [51 1m. (:1 A63h 27/00 insect and having relatively loose wings capable of [58] Field of Search 46/74, 75, 76, 77, 78; fluttering, Within limits, during flight p i n i 416/19; 244/154, 155 produced by a single-bladed propellor extending from only one side of its axis of rotation to cause the toy to [56] Ref r Cit d fly along a sinuous path and induce fluttering of said UNITED STATES PATENTS Gluhareff 416/19 wings.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 FLUTTERING AERIAL TOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is in the field of aerial toys and particularly self-propelled toys capable of independent flight.

Self-propelled aerial toys simulating birds or insects have been proposed but all such prior devices known to applicant were provided with balanced propellors and designed to fly along smooth paths without fluttering or lateral deviations from the flight path. See for example, the US. Pat. to Adams No. 1,858,535 and the French Pat. to Plantier No. 331,889 of 1903. The flight of such prior devices, being relatively smooth, did not truly simulate the flight of natural creatures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a rotary propellor driven aerial toy simulating a natural creature wherein the propellor is highly unbalanced about its axis of rotation to thus induce sinuous flight and limited flapping of the wings to closely simulate the flight and sounds of a bird or the like.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a self-propelled aerial toy closely simulating the flight of a natural creature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a toy embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the toy of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front view of a toy.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The embodiment of the toy illustrated comprises a rigid longitudinally extending frame member 2 shown as having a downwardly projecting rear hook portion 4 and a downwardly projecting forward portion 6. The forward portion 6 is provided with a bore 7 through which a shaft 8 extends for rotation. At its rear end the shaft 8 is provided with a hook 10 to which one end of one or more rubber bands 12 are engaged, the other ends of the bands being hooked over the downwardly projecting hook portion 4. The shaft 8 extends through the bore 7 and is provided with a suitable bearing bead or the like 14 forwardly of which the shaft is bent laterally, then forwardly at an oblique angle to define a propellor frame 15, as shown schematically in FIG. 1, to a terminal end loop 16. A propellor blade 18 is secured to the obliquely extending propellor frame 15. The propellor blade 18 is preferably of the nature of'a sheet of paper of such stiffness that it is normally self-sustaining and is attached to the frame at its forward edge to normally extend directly rearwardly therefrom.

Also attached to the frame member 2 is a substantially rigid transverse member 20, which may be in the form of the length of wire as suggested by the drawings or may be of any other suitable construction. The frame 2 and the member 20 may, if desired, be of molded plastic material of rigid characteristics, cemented or otherwise secured together.

A wing structure designated generally at 22 is secured to the upper surface of the frame 2 and is secured at its forward edge to the rigid member 20. The material of the wing member 22 is preferably a thin sheet material of the nature of paper that is readily flexible. The wing structure is not stretched tightly in the spaces between the frame 2 and the rigid member 20 but is relatively loose in that region so that at least the rear edge portions of the wing structure may move freely upwardly or downwardly, as indicated by the dotted line showings of FIG. 3. It is also preferred that a tail structure 24 be provided and which may be a continuation of the material of the wing structure but the tail structure is securely fastened to the frame 2. The nature of the tail structure is such that it may be more or less permanently bent or folded, as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2, to serve as a control surface for regulating the direction of flight of the toy. As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3 the member 20 extends upwardly and outwardly from frame 2 to provide a dihedral angle for wing structure 22 and thus enhance the stability of the toy, as is well known.

As is evident from the drawings and the foregoing description, the propellor member is a single bladed propellor extending to only one side of the axis of rotation of the shaft 8 and thus when the propellor rotates, the device is highly unbalanced. The rubber bands 12 constitute a known type of motor and the propellor may be manually rotated in either direction to twist the bands 12 and thus store energy in the motor. When the device is then released the bands rotate the propellor and cause the toy to fly.

Viewing the toy as seen in FIG. 1, and assuming that the shaft 8 is rotating, in flight, in a clockwise direction when viewed from the rear, it will be apparent that the air resistance to movement of the blade 18 will cause a reaction tending to push the frame 2 and wing 22 downwardly and also tending to cause rotation of the frame 2 in a counterclockwise direction. It is to be noted that the center of pressure of the propeller blade 18 is eccentric to the axis of shaft 8. Such rotation, however, is resisted by the area of the wing structure 22 but, due to the looseness of the sheet material defining the wings, the same willflop or flutter to certain of the dotted line positions of FIG. 3. As the propellor rotates and when it assumes a position removed from that shown in FIG. 1, continuedclockwise rotation tends to lift the frame 2 and the wing structure thus reversing the direction of air pressure on at least some of the wing areas causing the material thereof to flop or flutter in the opposite direction. In addition, as the toy moves along in a forward direction, the entire aerial toy will rise and fall slightly to follow a more or less sinuous path in simulation of a natural flying creature. At the same time the wings will flutter up and down and a very realisitc and entertaining motion is produced.

Forward thrust by virtue of rotation of the propellor blade 18 is caused by the face that the material of the blade is flexible and when the shaft 8 rotates, the material of blade 18 will flex somewhat to cause the same to assume an angular position providing light forward thrust.

In addition to the effects described, as a result of air pressures on the wings and blade ll8, it is to be noted that the center of gravity of the single propellor blade is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the shaft 8 and since that center of gravity is forwardly of the body portion, its effect will be to develop centrifugal forces causing some lateral deviation from a forward flight path and some yawing of the toy.

The previously described fluttering of the wing structure 22 actually produces sounds simulating the beating of a birds wings in the air.

While the foregoing description relates specifically to a toy simulating a bird, it is to be understood that other designs may be made, simulating flying insects or any other natural creatures capable of flight and other structural modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. An aerial toy comprising: a longitudinal frame member having sheet material wings extending laterally therefrom; propelling means journalled on said frame on a foreand-aft axis and including a propellor member extending outwardly of said axis with its center of pressure and center of gravity eccentric to said axis and means for rotating the same whereby, in flight, said toy follows a sinuous path simulating that of a natural creature in flight. 2. An aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said propellor member comprises a single propellor blade self-sustaining but flexible sheet material fixedly attached at it forward edge to said rigid member and normally extending directly rearwardly therefrom.

4. An aerial toy as defined in claim 3 wherein said rigid member extends outwardly and forwardly of said axis at an oblique angle whereby centrifugal forces generated thereby, by its rotation, causes said toy to flutter along said sinuous path.

5. An aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said wings comprise relatively rigid forward edge members, said sheet material of said wings being flexible and secured to said frame and forward edge members and extending therebetween relatively loosely whereby said wings flutter relative to said frame and forward edge member during flight of said toy.

6. An aerial toy as defined in claim 5 wherein said forward edge members extend outwardly and upwardly of said frame to provide a dihedral angle between said wings.

7. An aerial toy as defined in claim 1 including bendable tail members at the rear end thereof defining selectively settable direction control members. 

1. An aerial toy comprising: a longitudinal frame member having sheet material wings extending laterally therefrom; propelling means journalled on said frame on a fore-and-aft axis and incLuding a propellor member extending outwardly of said axis with its center of pressure and center of gravity eccentric to said axis and means for rotating the same whereby, in flight, said toy follows a sinuous path simulating that of a natural creature in flight.
 2. An aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said propellor member comprises a single propellor blade extending to only one side of said axis.
 3. An aerial toy as defined in claim 2 wherein said propellor blade comprises an elongated rigid member extending laterally of said axis, and a blade portion of self-sustaining but flexible sheet material fixedly attached at it forward edge to said rigid member and normally extending directly rearwardly therefrom.
 4. An aerial toy as defined in claim 3 wherein said rigid member extends outwardly and forwardly of said axis at an oblique angle whereby centrifugal forces generated thereby, by its rotation, causes said toy to flutter along said sinuous path.
 5. An aerial toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said wings comprise relatively rigid forward edge members, said sheet material of said wings being flexible and secured to said frame and forward edge members and extending therebetween relatively loosely whereby said wings flutter relative to said frame and forward edge member during flight of said toy.
 6. An aerial toy as defined in claim 5 wherein said forward edge members extend outwardly and upwardly of said frame to provide a dihedral angle between said wings.
 7. An aerial toy as defined in claim 1 including bendable tail members at the rear end thereof defining selectively settable direction control members. 